


A Storm on the Road to Skyfell

by flowersandmurders



Category: The Iron Butterfly Series - Chanda Hahn
Genre: F/M, Fluff, a lil head smooching, as a treat, just soft stormy content, kael pov, mostly kael introspection
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-16
Updated: 2020-04-16
Packaged: 2021-03-01 23:55:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 598
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23675740
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/flowersandmurders/pseuds/flowersandmurders
Summary: Kael knows he should keep his distance, but after Hemi's dressing down and with the way that Thalia cried out in sleep, it might prove more difficult than he planned.or, Kael's thoughts that stormy night they were trapped in the shelter on the way to Skyfell.
Relationships: Kael/Thalia Valdyrstal
Kudos: 1





	A Storm on the Road to Skyfell

He really should keep his distance. Kael knows this. He made a promise, to let her decide in her own time. To give her space. He still wasn’t convinced he was the safest choice for her, but he’d be  _ damned _ if he let that puppy steal her from him. It was tiring enough, watching the Denai stare after Thalia with that lovestruck gaze, watching him kiss her. Kael clenched his jaw, muscle in his cheek twitching. In the end, the joke was on Joss. Thalia was Kael’s lifemate. Not Joss’s. 

He just hoped she’d come around soon enough for him to tell _ her _ that. 

Lightning crashes, thunder rolling through the small shelter they’re stationed in. The walls shake slightly, and even in her sleep Thalia lets out a whimper. She’s been tossing and turning all night, eyelids moving rapidly. Thunder rolls again and the whimper turns to cries, and Kael is at her side before he can talk himself out of it. He perches at the edge of her bed, reaching out to stroke her face, to try and soothe her. He knows all too well the memories these storms can bring back. He bears countless scars, but they share some of the more recent ones. He’d witnessed firsthand the anguish she’d gone through receiving hers. He hadn’t been able to do anything to stop it. He pulls his hand back. 

He really should keep his distance. 

Another wave of thunder rolls through the night, and Thalia’s movements become more frantic, her cries turning to shouts and sobs. Kael climbs into the bed, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her close before his head gets in the way again. She needs him. 

“Shhh, Thalia. You’re okay- it’s just a dream. It can’t hurt you anymore,” he whispers, arms tightening around her as he stares out into the darkness of the shelter. 

Her sobs slow, turning into shaky breaths. She hasn’t said a word, and Kael isn’t even sure she knows that it’s him holding her. He feels her relax, grip on his shirt releasing some as she snuggles into his chest. Kael hopes she’s too asleep to feel the way her actions make his heart miss a beat. He pulls her closer, resting his face atop her head. 

Hemi was right- Kael wasn’t doing his job. He had promised to protect her. Kael had noticed the way she’d shuffle her food around, and tonight was certainly not the first time she’d had nightmares. She wasn’t the only one who’d been losing sleep. Kael had told himself that it was just her nerves, that she would be fine on her own. That it would sort itself out in time. And perhaps it would. But, he had made a promise to her father- a promise that he would lay down his life for her. A promise that, from now on, would include ensuring she ate and slept. 

Thalia sighed softly in sleep, slinging her arm over his side. It was the first time in weeks he’d seen her so content. Kael felt himself relaxing under her touch, eyelids growing heavy. The storm raged on outside, yet now each burst of lightning and wave of thunder simply made Thalia pull closer to him. 

Kael tilted his face down, pressing a feather light kiss to the top of her head. So much for keeping his distance. He relaxed into the bed, unsure if sleep would come but unwilling to leave Thalia’s arms. She needed him. Kael let his eyes drift closed, hoping that it was as much as he needed her. 


End file.
